Truancy

Truancy

Causes for Truancy

Poor self-concept; low self-esteem
Low academics; particularly behind in science and math
Feeling of lack of control over life (i.e. 'No matter how hard I try I will not succeed.')            
Little or no extra-curricular involvement
Mental and/or emotional instability; childhood depression
Unidentified learning disabilities
Negative peer relationships; older, non-school oriented friends
Fear of school, teachers, and/or administrators

Effects of Truancy

Decreased earning ability
Increased risk of dropping out of school                          
Struggling to catch up with school assignments                                                        
Failing classes                                                                                                           
Risk of not obtaining a higher education

What parents can do about truancy?

If your child is skipping lessons, certain days or certain teachers the school counsellor can help him/her to see what pattern is emerging, and put strategies into place to minimise the risk of truancy occurring.

What parents should/shouldn't do?

Parents should give a reasonable punishment like taking away a device/item for a reasonable period of time. They should not take away everything the child has like phones, laptops, games forever but some parents disagree. They should not take what they didn't buy for example £115 headset, games and power supply for a gaming console that coincidently the parents lost. Taking away the child’s entertainment can lead to child depression in school and…